Now that Prop 22-2 is enshrined in the Michigan constitution, the Secretary of State’s office, local and county clerks, and advocacy organizations including Voters Not Politicians are hard at work to make sure the changes voters supported last November are implemented successfully.
Voters can look forward to a ballot tracking system that can alert voters about their ballot status, additional drop boxes equitably distributed in their communities, and the option for voters to receive a ballot mailed directly to them before every election.
Some parts of Prop 22-2 need election law changes before they can be implemented. Voters Not Politicians is an active member in workgroups led by the Secretary of State’s office to develop the bills. Perhaps the biggest piece of Prop 22-2 that needs to be tackled is how to implement 9 days of early voting for statewide and general elections in a state with municipalities as diverse as Michigan’s. An early voting bill is expected to be introduced within the month, allowing clerks enough time to learn how to provide this service to voters.
Also, just last month, Michigan House Representatives introduced two critical bills designed to protect free and fair elections by banning firearms within 100 feet of polling places, drop boxes, and absentee ballot counting boards.
- House Bill 4127 bans guns at, or within 100 feet of, polling places and early voting centers and, for 40 days prior to election day, within 100ft of ballot drop boxes.
- House Bill 4128 prohibits guns at, or within 100 feet of, locations where absentee ballots are being processed.
Executive Director Nancy Wang made this statement:
“This is long overdue and common sense: there is no place for firearms at our polling places or in our election system. Voters Not Politicians has always been dedicated to ensuring that all voters are heard and have equal access to the ballot box, which starts with preventing voter intimidation.
The Michigan House of Representatives has taken the first step by introducing this critical gun safety legislation, and we at Voters Not Politicians call on all lawmakers to pass this common sense gun safety measure to guarantee no voter will be intimidated by a firearm when voting.”
Volunteer legislative liaisons are meeting with their Michigan representatives and senators in many of the 110 House and 38 Senate districts to engage in grassroots lobbying to ensure that VNP’s pro-voter policy priorities become law. If you are passionate about advancing democracy reform and pro-voter legislation or would like more information, fill out this form to join our legislative liaison team!
